For the first time ever the Special Olympics World Summer Games are being held outside the USA and will take place in Ireland. This will be the biggest sporting event held in this Country and the largest in the World in 2003.

An estimated 7,000 Athletes, 3,000 Coaches, 28,000 Family and Friends and 2,000 World Media will arrive into our Country in June. The opening ceremony takes place in Croke Park on 21 June and the events will continue right through to June 30.

Host Town Programme 16th -20th June 2003

A week prior to the opening ceremony the delegations from each of the 160 participating Countries will arrive and travel to their "Host Town" where they will have time to acclimatise, rest, train and prepare for the Games and meet and sample the culture and hospitality of the Irish hosts.

Each participating country has been matched with a host town based on the needs and size of the delegation.

Cavan Town hosting Turkey

Arvagh hosting Niger

Cootehill hosting Zambia

Virginia hosting Nepal

Buncrana hosting Finland

Donegal Town hosting Hungary

Letterkenny hosting Trinidad & Tobago

Killybegs hosting Nigeria

Dungloe hosting Uruguay

Ballybofey/Stranorlar hosting Macau

Manorhamiltion hosting Gambia

Carrick-on-shannon hosting Bosnia

Drumshanbo hosting Mauritania

Mohill hosting Congo

Monaghan Town hosting Guam

Carrickmacross hosting Monaco

Castleblaney hosting Serria/Leone

Clones hosting Lithuania

Ballybay hosting Tunisia

Sligo hosting Gibralter

Tubbercurry hosting Benin

An extremely important aspect of the Games is the arrival of the Olympic Torch for the lighting of the Olympic Flame at the opening ceremony. The Torch will travel through Ireland and will pass through the North West Region as follows: